Bill and Steffy: Bold and Beautiful: In another world, another time
by rebelkayce
Summary: Bill Spencer and Steffy Forrester, the forbidden, the tabboo, find themselves once experiencing once again those feelings they thought to have disappeared. The stage is set, the players not ready, the question remains. Will this be their chance, will this be another heartbreak, will this be their time, will they make it their world? Premise Based on the current story line of the
1. Chapter 1

Bill was enjoying himself, having a productive day that had spanned from the moment he had woken up next to his beautiful wife. He had to admit that life was pretty great for him at the moment ever since he had remarried his first love. His son was thriving, not surprising considering he was a Spencer after all. Katie, the woman who had given him this beautiful child he called his own, was the first woman to ever break through all his constructed walls to get to the man beneath. Or as far as she could, he supposed. With that thought, Bill stepped up from his chair to look out of his office window.

Thoughts like this randomly came to him from time to time. Perplexed with the concept of how his wife was perfect for him on the drawing board, but for him to her version of the perfect husband on the flip side; the attributes of himself that he had to hide to make this picture perfect life of a white picket fence real, all of it at times became too much for him. There was a reason he had been intrigued by Steffy Forrester. Steffy. He had all but forgotten about her after she had moved to Paris. But he would never forget how she had found the chink in his marital armor, a chink that when exposed to the air, had begun to rust and rust away. When he had ended it, he had tried to repair the chink. And for a time he thought he had, then had come Brooke Logan. Siren of men they still called her.

Brooke. Now she, he had loved. Seeing through constructed walls that Katie had been negligent to even bother notice, she had seen a glimpse of the man beneath, and helped him see what it could be like to show the other parts of him in a relationship. The parts that were as much a part of him as was his hands and legs. He had wanted to marry her, at times he couldn't help but have wandering ideas of what it would have been like to have had a as the woman behind Bill Spencer. However, wondering was all he would ever have, as she had done the same thing that Katie always had in the past. When it came to it, she had walked away. Granted, throwing little mister fashion pansy pants out of his helicopter had not been the most inspiring of his plans. It was rather disappointing really how that had played out. The end result was the same none the less. Brooke had left. Faced with yet again another Logan walking out of his life, he had begun to wonder what the point was. No woman would ever be able to accept him as he was to the core. The dominance, the controlling, the downright savagery that coursed through his blood. All he could do was camouflage it, portray what was expected of a husband in a marriage, of a fiance in an engagement, of a man from a woman.

Bill sighed, the view outside doing nothing to calm down his thoughts. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, and all that romantic nonsense was going around. Wasted emotions if you asked him. At least he could look forward to one thing, he did have his sons. Even though the first two had been making a hell lot of a mess of their lives. Fighting over Hope Logan. They could have found something better to do with their time, like bonding instead. At least now Liam had Ivy, and Wyatt, well, he would be out there soon enough. Being a Spencer wouldn't allow him to keep himself down for that long.

Enough with this musing, Bill thought to himself. Every second he spent staring outside, he made more than his fair share of six digits. But there was always more to be made. Thinking back to the interesting conversation he had had with Eric Forrester, Bill pondered on how to go about with the proposal he had been given. Something would come to him, it always did. Picking up the phone, he called Justin to get him in his office to discuss options. Of course his trusted adviser didn't pick up his phone, not surprising really, considering he was trying to get his ex-wife back. It seemed once on of the Logans sank their claws into you, well... Enough said. Deciding to go look for the bastard himself, Bill left his office after downing a protein bar. Walking the hallways of his building always felt odd to him. It was so much easier to just make everyone run around for him, and downright fun at times. He did love making them squirm in their feet with not knowing what he would do next. Suspense, always a good trait to encourage staff performance. Passing by Liam's office, he could swear he heard Ridge's voice. Intrigued by this, he sauntered over to the door, knowing it would be open as was Liam's way.

"I still stand by my stipulation. I want your father involved in no part of this," Ridge declared.

"And I am telling you that is going to be impossible. Do you realize who you are messing with here? Simply because you got him to push Brooke away do you think that makes him a simple walkover?" Liam rebutted

"He will have no part of this takeover, I don't care who he is or what he thinks he can do. It's either you help us on your own, or we don't do this at all"

There was a pause in the air, Ridge having delivered his ultimatum. Bill was wondering which way Liam would steer. The Spencer in Bill wanted him to take the opportunity, to go after what he wanted with that driving force of undertaking that was in his blood. The father in him, however, was not thrilled at the idea of what he would not necessarily consider a betrayal, but something that he would be slightly disappointed at for his son not telling him. Who was he kidding, he'd do the Spencer way, consequences be damned. Smiling, Bill remembered all the ruthless things he had done in his past. Some he regretted, some, some he couldn't help remember without a smirk appearing on his face.

"I'll do it," Liam sighed, a twinge of defeat in his voice, "We'll do it your way."

"Excellent..."

"Know one thing," Liam started, interrupting Ridge from what was no doubt some gloating poetic nonsensical 'we can rule Forrester' speech,

"He will find out," His son started, a conviction to his statement.

"You just better pray and hope against all odds that when he does, it's too late for him to do anything about it."

"Like hell he can do anything about it. He barely has any shares in the company and no matter if he found out, he wouldn't still have the majority shares to do anything about our takeover," Ridge assured Liam.

"You don't seem to understand the words coming out of my mouth. My father has shown you a played down version of the merciless bastard he can be. You have Brooke to thank for that," Liam continued

An unintelligible remark was made that Bill couldn't make out.

"She mellowed him down whilst letting be him. When you had your 'little' altercation, and trust me, it was 'little', he was feeling a little bit generous cause of the woman in his life. Now that she's gone..."

"He still has Katie, his wife" Ridge stated with anger now present in his tone

"Don't get me wrong. Katie is a wonderful wife and mother and he is lucky to have her in his life. But Katie doesn't tame the beast. With her it just lies dormant, throwing a bite out here and there, but always waiting for that perfect moment to strike and destroy."

The following silence in the room rolled over Bill and into him, fueling the barbarian in him. The evil smile that graced the corner of his mouth as the silence fueled reminded him of what he was capable off. No one really knew did they, he let it out in doses, when need be. It was always effective, who said his doses were anything but devastating

Having heard enough of what he already knew to be true, Bill walked away and resumed his search for Justin, passing by Wyatt's office that was a few doors down from his brother's. Once again voices drifted out of the room, but he had no desire to stop and eavesdrop again, he had people to do that for him. He did hear Ivy's voice though. Who cared what was going on in there anyway.

Ten minutes later, Bill had still not been able to contact Justin, and had given up the search. Ten minutes was even a stretch for him, patience in situations like this was wasted. His adviser would be in contact soon enough, giving him a bit more time to think about his course of action. Walking back into his office, Bill went over some contracts for new business holdings that would no doubt increase his vast holdings. One could never own enough of the world could they. A knock on the door brought him out of his musings. He didn't look up from his paperwork, not wanting to be disturbed at the present time. The intruder didn't get the memo apparently, considering he heard the door swing open a moment later. Sighing, Bill looked down at his paper trying to gather a patience he simply did not want to exercise at the moment.

Breathing in to help him relax, it hit him.

That scent hit him, smelling of jasmine and honey, it seeped into his lungs and absorbed into his blood stream.

The beast inside reared it's head higher. It hadn't done that in a while, usually content to make its presence known as it lounged within him. How he had missed its presence. Inhaling again, thescent further assailed his senses, and he found it took him a bit longer than usual to reorientate himself.

"Dollar Bill Spencer"

Her voice was like honey, still deep and seductive with that edge of flirty, and that sassy sassy undertone. How long had it been since he had heard it? It seemed like ages. It had been ages

Looking up, he looked at her, still as gorgeous ever, dressed in that style she always seemed to make her own. Smiling at her, he responded

"Well, isn't this a nice surprise. To what do I owe it?"

She laughed, the notes of it being intoned blended with a huskiness no one could ever mistake belonged to only her.

"I thought you'd be a little happier to see me?"

"I'm not saying that I'm not. I'm just wondering why?" he said, his hand coming to rest underneath his chin, as if he were contemplating.

"I thought I'd be the first to tell you."

"That you're back for good?"

"I should have known that you'd already know that," she said, a smile on her face, further lighting her up, showcasing her beauty.

"You know me," he stated

"Yes I do, well enough," she responded, moving closer and taking a seat on the chair opposite his desk.

"You always did, didn't you?"

"And I always will..."

Looking at each other, conversation ceased, followed by a silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but rather...

He couldn't put a finger on it, not yet, but the undertones of the silence, they had the beast perking his ears and flaring his nostrils inside Bill.

"Tell me, how much did you make off that article of Maya?" she asked.

"Enough to provide me with satisfaction putting her down a notch."

"I think it was more than just a single notch."

"Well now, that just makes it more enjoyable."

"Not concerned about the fallback from publishing that article?"

"Already handled," he stated, thinking of the fact that he had ordered his subsidiary company to start a fund for transgender awareness with his company as a major contributor. The online ratings were raving and hating him at the same time, For outing that lying skank, and for creating an avenue in which he showed that all he did was show that she was too ashamed to grab her status. He was still considering having his organisation approach her for the spokesperson position, just to ire her. She couldn't turn it down, she needed it, bad, and well he, he was being magnanimous after all.

"And your son?"

"Which one?"

She said nothing, waiting for him to add more.

"Liam needs to be a big boy, and take his training wheels off if he wants to run this company after I'm gone. There is always a way to come out on top. And Wyatt? Well, I never really forced him to go after that little girl now did he. All he had to do was get me the information, the methods however, were, shall we say, left up to interpretation."

Shaking her head she asked, "Will they ever talk to you again?"

"Of course they will. Once they both realize that I may plant the seed, but how they choose to let it grow is all up to the players of the game, in this case, Wyatt."

She laughed, responding, "You haven't changed one bit, even after all that's happened, Bill Spencer is still Bill Spencer."

"Thank you for the compliment"

"Only you would think of it as a compliment," she remarked.

"And only you would mean it as one," he responded, the truth of his statement showing on his face.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"Do you want to tell me why you are?"

"No"

"I'm not going to pry it out of you, just like you're not going to tell me, because from the gleam in your eye, you want to hold that piece of information to yourself a little bit longer."

"Well, I do like playing the game"

"I know", he agreed.

She looked at him, and he couldn't help but remember all of it.

He didn't want to.

He had believed himself to have migrated from this state of feeling that was creeping up on him again. He couldn't help it, he wanted to, but every second that passed by did nothing but bring it all back. And sure enough, he could see the same reflected back in her eyes as she continued to stare at him.

Looking down, she smiled as she lifted herself from the chair. He stood as well, walking her to the door. Standing by the door, he turned to look at her and their eyes locked. That simmer of awareness came back a little bit stronger, despite how much he was trying to push it down. And the beast, the beast inside him was paying avid attention to the altercation occurring at that very moment.

No words were said as she raised her fingers to almost touch his cheek, but she stopped an inch from his face. It didn't matter, he could feel the heat of the proximity of her touch and the beast inside told him to lean into it. She waited, seeing if he would, but he resisted the urge, tamping the beast down. Her hand drifted down, inching towards his forearm instead, she looked down at it as it descended. He waited...

The burn entered his skin the moment she made contact, heating him through his shirtsleeve. It poured throughout him, passing the beast, making it raise its head faster this time. He looked down at her face, watching as it rose to meet his face once again, a smile on her face. Her eyes spoke to me, but I refused to heed them. I wouldn't, not again. Lifting herself, she gave him every opportunity to step back.

He didn't.

Her lips pressed against his cheek, causing another burn to find purchase on his skin, this one hotter, more stronger, and the beast purred. It actually purred. I felt the breath leave her as she kept the contact a second longer than what would be considered conventional. Not that she ever was. I could feel my grip tightening on the door of my office, my other hand beginning to curl into a fist.

She finally stepped back looking at me once more, embers in her eyes. Then she simply turned and walked away.

"See you Bill," she called over her shoulder as her hips swayed.

He could feel the imprint of her lips on his cheek, the feel of her fingers on his forearm still.

"No doubt I will,Steffy," he replied.

As she disappeared he couldn't help but think...

Shit! Not again!


	2. Chapter 2

"So is this your final decision?"

"How could you have thought this would end any other way?"

"You reprobate!"

"Now insulting me isn't going to change the end result, but do go on. All this will do is increase the amount of pleasure I will derive from your useless efforts," Bill said, the feeling of victory coursing through his veins.

"I made you a once in a lifetime offer!"

"Really? Not from where I was standing."

Rick paced in front of him, the indignation pulsating off him in vibrations that simply fed the monster more and more.

"So why make me think you were considering it at all?"

Bill didn't deign to give his question a response. He let the silence do it for him.

Rick looked up at him in that moment, and he recognized the truth in his eyes.

"This was your plan all along wasn't it?"

He couldn't help the evil snicker that left his mouth.

Rick started to pace once again, the only sound in his old office, as he had been quite efficiently replaced, being that off his shoes as they wore a path on the floor.

Bill just kept looking at him as the prey tried to find a way out of the conundrum it found itself, knowing there was none, but enjoying the struggle going on within his opponent none the same.

The stiletto of her heels tapped against the ground, announcing her arrival.

Her scent traveled as if an afterthought, a sliver in the wind that tantalized his senses.

With no plausible comprehension as to why, the beast began to stretch inside him.

"Now, now Rick. You shouldn't be such a sore loser," she teased, her voice carrying a mischievous lilt.

Bill's gaze was drawn to her face, the ethereal beauty that surrounded her stirring the beast once more. With a stronger, more persistent tug.

Rick swiftly turned around, Bill noticed in his peripheral vision, his body becoming a sounding board of aggression.

"I will find a way to reverse this." One had to admire the level of conviction he was emanating.

Steffy sauntered over towards the desk that Bill was sitting behind, perching herself on corner, hiding her beautiful face from his view, her presence continuing to saturate his senses nonetheless.

"I can tell sit here and go through all the reasons why I know it won't work." Her hand moved in a sweeping gesture.

Her back was to bill, her dark brown hair her swept over her shoulder.

"On the other hand, I welcome you to try. I will no doubt find your efforts amusing."

She was teasing him. Shame pretty boy didn't seem to want to play along.

Rick's face began to redden, the level of anger in him rising with each passing moment.

Bill stood up, rounding the table to come and stand in front of Rick.

He was putting down to coincidence the fact that this act decreased his proximity to Steffy. Or even more, the fact that he could feel the beast rise in him was neither here nor there.

Completely irrelevant.

Hands in his pockets, Bill stared down at Rick.

"To a man like me, blood is sacred."

He stepped an inch closer.

"And those who hurt my family," he tilted his head, "I always find a way to make them reap their due consequences."

"Caroline..." Rick started but did not get the chance to finish as Bill interrupted him by moving an inch closer, the act predatory by the manner in which the aggression poured off him and towards his victim.

His voice was whisper soft, lethal in its gentleness as he stated,

"I protect my own..."

Rick's eyes flared as the outrage within him reached that point that Bill had wanted to goad out of him. He saw it coming miles before the young novice in front of him had even decided to do the deed. With his array of skills, he could have easily dodged the punch being thrown his way. But he didn't. Rick's fist connected with his lower jaw, knocking his head to the side. He tasted the blood before he felt the slight twinge of pain on his lip.

The beast's muscled tightened slightly at the act, the violence scratching at it for retribution to be exacted.

His head, having barely moved an inch, Bill eyed Rick, licking the blood he could feel swelling up on his lip.

Bill edged forward, lowering his head until he was eye to eye with his opponent and murmured,

"Want to try that again?"

He summoned the beast to amble, it's rising presence adding to the ferocity of his aura.

He saw the sliver of fear that ran through Rick, the corner of his lip curling upwards at the sign of weakness within him. Seconds turned into minutes as he continued to stare down at the boy in front of him.

Standing to his full height once more, Bill looked over Rick's shoulder.

"Leave."

He hesitated for nothing but a moment, then turned around and left the office that Bill would ensure would never belong to him anymore.

"Bye bye now!" Steffy yelled out as Rick slammed the door.

Stretching his neck, Bill proceeded to cage the beast once more.

The wildness within him refused to bow down easily, latching onto her presence as a tether. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths, reinforcing the bars on his cage.

If he had been more aware of his surroundings as he undertook this feat, perhaps he would have sensed her move closer. But as it was...

He didn't.

He felt the heat of her invade his personal space like a heat wave.

"That was fun," she stated, moving to stand next to him.

"Not as much fun as the rest of it will be," he stated.

"You and your never ending plans of one upping everyone."

"As is expected."

"Of course." She chuckled.

Moving back to sit in one of the armchairs in the room he presumed, Steffy asked him the question he knew everyone was dying to know.

"Tell me, how did you do it?"

"No."

"Come on Bill."

Turning to face her, he saw the concern on her face before she quickly rose from the chair, moving towards him quickly.

"You're bleeding," she said, telling him something he already knew.

"I know."

Coming to stand directly in front of him, no more than a meter away, her hand rose towards his face.

The atmosphere of the room had already undergone a state of conversion the moment she had stepped into the room. Now it proceeded to add dimensions to this conversion, making him more aware of her presence than ever before, of the accurate distance between her fingers and his face as it lessened.

Just as before, her hand halted in it's journey a finger-breadth away from his face, the beast stretching itself in remembrance, the heat penetrating his skin once more.

Her eyes were fixed on her hand, his eyes were fixed on her, and he wondered...

Soft fingers touched his cheek in a feather light touch...

Heat flared beneath his skin...

The beast purred...

His fists clenched...

Her breath hitched...

Her hand traveled towards his cut lip, the act an unintentional caress...

Leaving in its wake a lingering warmth...

As her fingers passed over the cut, the irritating pain ceased, heat taking over...

Not meeting his eyes, Steffy removed her fingers away from his face, blood smeared over her fingertips. Eyes on her fingers, she brought up a tissue he had not even noticed she was holding and wiped it off. Her eyes drifted from her fingers to his face. She brought the tissue to his lip, wiping off the rest of his blood.

"Who would have thought Rick had that much power in his punch."

She walked over to the trash can, then went over and sat back down on the armchair.

The distance did nothing to lessen the charge in the atmosphere that had erupted further from the moment of skin contact.

'Never underestimate anyone Steffy."

"So are you going to tell me how you did it or not?"

Bill didn't respond, just turned to face her as she sat, cross legged.

"You know, what I can't figure out is how what you did was even possible. Last time I checked, you only had twelve and a half percent of the company. So has that changed? And if so, who would have sold their shares to you. No one would willingly do it," she mused.

One of the many lessons you learnt when ruling an empire based on ruthlessness was that you never showed your cards, and neither did you reveal your playing tips. Always keep them on their toes, second-guessing themselves, trying to figure out our next move that they will never see it coming. Because you have already moved that chess piece into play.

"Doesn't matter because it's done."

And done it was. No one knew the level of power he had over Forrester Creations and he had no intention of letting the cat out of the bag. They would all wonder and theorize on how any of this was possible, but no one could reverse his decision. The domino effect he had put into play not months but years ago had paid out more than he ever thought would have been possible. He wondered how they would all react if they realized that he owned more than a third of the shares in the company, more than the measly twelve and a half percent they all presumed. He couldn't help the slight smile that tried to break out on his face.

Steffy noticed it, but didn't mention it, knowing she would get nothing from him. She always did know when to stop pushing and simply let it be. One of the things he had found intriguing about her in the first place, and apparently still did.

"You know Rick isn't the only one who isn't happy about this."

"Are we talking about your father?"

The rivalry between him and Ridge had never disappeared, and it probably never would. Though, depsite his reluctance to, hee had to admit that being with his niece Caroline made his presence a little bit more ... tolerable. Just barely.

"He never did see you coming."

"And that was his own mistake."

Steffy snickered.

"You're not going to give him what he wants are you?"

Bill smiled, responding, "You know me so well."

"I used to think I did. Once."

She said it quite softly, softly enough for him to notice the nostalgia in her tone, that brought about the same feeling in him.

"Apparently not enough," she added, the sadness in her tone tugging at the protectiveness within him.

"You know you can't be the C.E.O." She changed the topic swiftly, eradicating the despondent nature that had begun to permeate the air.

He welcomed the change in topic.

"And I don't plan to be."

"So who is it gonna be?"

Bill had had some time to mull this over for the past week. And he was quite satisfied with his decision.

"No way are you going to make it Katie," she declared, not giving him an opportunity to respond.

"And to make it Liam would be just..."

"Okay stop talking." Bill interrupted her.

"What?"

"This decision isn't up to you, yeah?"

"Won't stop me from giving you my sound advice," she countered.

Bill smiled, a real smile, one that hadn't graced his face in quite a while. Steffy once again stood, coming to stand in front of him.

"Who?"

"Patience," he responded. "You'll know soon enough." He was sure his decision would surprise a few people, anger others, have others questioning the motives behind the action.

The beast had been snarling for quite a while now. To be precise, it had begun its snarling from the moment her touch had departed from his face. He had managed to deny its demands while she had been across the room, but now that she was standing right in front of him...

His fist unclenched in his pocket, and his hand moved of its own volition, with inordinate prompting from the beast within, to rise to the side of her face, and tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear.

Such a typical over-dramatized action, done to death but still powerful in its simplicity.

Her breath hitched once again...

The beast growled softly within him...

He couldn't seem to help himself...

...as the distance between their faces became nothing but a hair's breadth apart, he couldn't resist the urge to look into her eyes.

Their eyes locked, the persistent awareness that existed between them took a further hold of him, her eyes widening as he saw the same sentiment playing out in her green eyes.

Steffy tilted her face upwards in what seemed a natural reaction, angling herself...

Bill lowered his face further until their breaths intermingled between them.

Her eyes on his, he maintained the remaining distance...

Stopping himself, only just, from pressing against her lips...

The beast rumbled, beguiling him to do so...

He fought it...

The beast lifted an arm to scrape at his resolve, intensifying the need...

He fought it...

"Time to go..."

He breathed every word on her lips, their eyes still interlocked.

They both waited...

Neither of them moving away...

The shrill of his phone hurtled them back into the present. Steffy stepped back first, still looking at him, and he could see the question in her eyes. One he knew she would not voice, one he did not know if he wanted her to.

A small smile peeked on her lips as she turned around and began walking out.

"See you in there."

As her voice faded with her departure, Bill realized two indisputable facts.

1\. It was going to be quite an interesting meeting

2\. This game,this game that he had found himself an unpremeditated player of was precarious, a very dangerous game indeed...


	3. Chapter 3

The music was blaring from the speakers, deafening yet exciting in the tempo of the beat, the synchrony of the sound, the alluring melody of the vocals. All around him were bodies in motion, caught up in the story the music demanded they play out. The alcohol coursing throughout their systems no doubt lending a helping hand.

"Where is she?"

Bill asked a disinclined Justin who had been roped into being present for this, even more perturbed because Bill had refused to give him an out despite the plans he had with a certain Logan for the night. All his reactions were amusing to Bill.

Justin head began to scan the crowd, having already flipped through the dossier that Bill had had him prepare, and one he had not had a chance to look at.

He had been a little bit...

Distracted...

Preoccupied by thoughts...

Overtaken by alien sensations...

Sensations he had never felt before, not even then.

Intense in their existence...

They demanded of him what he was not willing to give...

They bedeviled him unceasingly...

Unabashed in their pursuit they...

"Bill!" Justin shook his shoulder to get his attention.

"Yes?" His voice sounded marginally annoyed. Justin looked at him questioningly.

"She's over there."

Bill's eyesight followed the direction in which Justin had pointed, and was met by the sight of a stunning flaxen haired vision of beauty, sensuality. Dressed in blue one arm dress that complemented her hair, accentuated with partings down the right side of her rib cage that showed the male population the delectable skin underneath, she was quite the image. However she had accessorized had the effect of providing her with the aura of authority. She was surrounded by a bevy of admirers as her body moved in an alluring motion that left the audience hoping, dreaming, and waiting for more.

"Man, being in a place like this makes me feel old."

"Maybe you need to reconnect with your youth Justin. I'll be the first to admit it, you need to loosen up a little bit."

"Whatever." He abruptly answered walking away slightly miffed. Such a delicate flower he was.

Justin started in the direction of their target, but the beast within him didn't share the same objective. It had been pacing inside its cage, frazzled. Bill's eyes continued to scan the crowd, the beast snarling for the only thing that seemed to have a soothing effect on it these days. What didn't help matters was that this state had been existent for longer than he would have preferred. Weeks, months it seemed.

The beast reared its head as his eyes passed over a section of the oval bar in front of him. Eyes scanning back, the beast reared its head and then he saw his vision of ethereal beauty. She was dressed in a simple black dress that came up to her mid-thigh. Seated with the length of her slim leg on display, her feet adorned with high heels, the vultures circled nearby no doubt captivated by the manner in which her head was thrown back, hair falling down her back, eyes closed, and the dim lights above her casting her face in a tantalizing shadow. Ecstasy raced across her features as she downed the shot in her hand, as if waves of pleasure were coursing through her at that very moment. He felt something tug inside him. He knew every man around her wished he was the reason for that pleasure. Shot finished, she placed the glass back on the bar top. A smile broke out on her face as she opened out her eyes, the euphoria on her face a sight to behold.

His feet began their movement before his consciousness realized the act, cutting the distance between him, his savage nature hankering to...

Having rounded the bar he was greeted by the sight of her bare back, the dress cutting out until above her hip bone, mesh straps draped across the expanse, revealing skin that any man would run his hands across.

Damn that was sexy.

Her back stiffened when he was but a few meters of her, her head tilting to the side as if she had sensed the awareness that existed whenever he was near, whenever she was near.

Her eyes locked with his...

Awareness climbed...

Her smile widened...

His beast purred...

"Bill."

"Steffy."

"Are you here to join me?" She indicated to the liquor in front of her.

Before he had a chance to give her his denial she added, her voice laced with decadent temptation

"Impress me Dollar Bill Spencer."

The competitive nature in him perked up at her challenge, his hand moving towards the shots that had been placed in front of them.

Standing next to her, a bit closer than he probably should have, a little farther than he found he wanted to, he let the bitterness of the tequila wash down his alcohol burned a path down his throat as it made its way. He tasted the tartness of the liquor; he smelled nothing but jasmine and honey... that had nothing to do with the alcohol.

Perhaps five rounds, the alcohol coursing through her veins had her leaning somewhat towards him. He repudiated his reasoning of another possibility beyond this action. Their forearms barely separated, the energy between them pulsated.

Neither of them had spoken.

Neither of them needed to.

He knew she could feel it...

The way her hand rubbed across her forearm...

His hand curled into a fist at his side.

The way she would slant her head sideways, peeking at him through long eyelashes...

His breath deepened...

The blush that stole across her cheek when he caught her...

The beast insisted he indulge...

The vixen smile on her lips...

He contemplated turning...

"Ma Cherie," the blonde beauty from the dance floor came to stand next to Steffy, an arm around her shoulders, the other turning Steffy's face away from him to place a quick peck on her cheeks.

"Genevieve,' Steffy admonished her, laughing as she did. Genevieve looked unrepentant.

Turning towards him, she introduced her as Genevieve Badeaux. A fellow designer she had met on the streets of Paris at an underground fashion show. It had been a friendship at first sight and they had taken the city of love by storm.

"So why come out into the spotlight now?" Bill asked her, Justin having informed him that she had remained elusive, only deigning to design every three or so years.

"Because she asked me to," she stated, as if it was the most obvious reason and he was even a fool for asking.

Bill simply nodded his head.

"This way guys," Justin stated, having joined them.

They all stood following Justin to the elevator that led to the exclusive second floor adorned with private VIP rooms that had one way mirror glass. Along the edges of the room was an extended booth that left the middle of the room bare. The only table was located at the left corner of the room near the glass. The room was colored in hues of silver and black, tinges of blue light flickering through creating a seductive ambiance.

Walking over to the mirror, Steffy and Genevieve motioned for him and Justin to join them. Justin went to stand beside Steffy but Genevieve grabbed his arm at the last moment, bringing to her side. Leaving Bill to take up the space beside Steffy.

"Take a look out there and tell me what you see?"

Justin's head moved sideways, surveying the crowd, as did Bill's.

"Nothing but the usual. Alcoholics and closet nympho's" Justin replied. Bill couldn't but chuckle at the stick in the mud's comment.

"Ouvre tes yeux (open your eyes). How do you say in English? you best to look with your third eye and tell us what you see."

The sound of Beyoncé's Partition could be heard, the bass causing the ground to acquiesce in vibrations.

The men attempted again, Justin's eyes swiftly scanning the moving crowd.

"I see no..."

"Wait," Bill interrupted him.

Next to the DJ area stood a woman. It was impossible not to notice the way the men lingered around her as she moved, dressed in tight leather broken by a see though black lace top adorned with a belt on her midriff, a half Venetian mask on her face.

Bill's eyes scanned the room again, finding this time a woman near the bar, a dress disturbed with a mini leather corset around the midriff, strips of fabric branching out on her shoulders, caging them in, her hair moving with her as she danced. Again, men circled around her.

His next scan revealed a woman on the wall, seemingly lost in her own world as she pirouetted against it. Her dress, half leather, half chiffon, was adorned by shimmering metal spikes down the shoulder, leather strapped gloves covering her arms. As was the running theme, he noticed men around her turning to admire her as she moved.

"Desire..." Genevieve started, Bill looked over to see her pointing out the women to Justin.

"Wanting..." Steffy continued, her voice low, the timbre laced with seduction.

Bill's head turned to look at her.

Her eyes turned to him...

"Pleasure..." Genevieve continued,

"Ecstasy," Steffy's eyes hooded as she continued to stare into Bill's eyes, his beast rumbling inside him.

"Lust," Genevieve added her voice a tinge lower.

"Temptation," Steffy's matching voice held that tone of mischief. The warmth of her finger hit him before soft skin ran down his forearm, minute waves of electricity resulting.

Steffy brought up her hand, a single finger placed on the side of his jaw, heat seeping into his skin.

"Dominance," they both whispered, as Steffy tilted his head back to the dance floor.

At the entrance was a temptress. As she ambled forward in black bandage dress adorned with gold metal cut-outs across both sides of her ribs, the middle fashioned into a gold plated brass body harness running from a choker on her long neck to just above the cut-outs on her ribs, a pair of golden broken handcuffs on her wrists, auburn hair tied high with tendrils falling down her face, every male eye around her seemed to turn.

She walked slowly to the beat of the song to the center of the dance floor, the other models stopping their activities to join her. When all four congregated at the center, Bill scanned the crowd, and perhaps, if not all, the red blooded males in the club space had their eyes on them as they all moved in time with each other, as if sirens frolicking on a seashore.

"Damn." Justin's voice broke the silence that had reigned since Steffy and Genevieve had last spoke.

Steffy's finger, still on his jaw, ran a slow path down the side of his neck, past his pulse that jack-hammered at her touch...

Down his arm, the little explosions of heat her touch left behind rousing the beast furthermore...

Until it ran across his now clenched fist, his fingers began to relax as if on command, her finger slipping in between his...

His tightening naturally...

Her hand rested lightly atop his...

Warmth cascading from her hand to his...

Eyes still locked...

Passions intensifying...

"Some hell of a presentation," Justin commented, breaking the moment, "So what's your decision boss-man?" He asked, leaving Bill no option but to break eye contact to address him.

Facing Justin, hand still entwined with Steffy's he responded, "It was attention-grabbing, downright sexy, and just the right dose of provocative."

"So that's a yes?" Steffy asked him, excitement apparent, her hand lightly squeezing his.

Further heat pulsed in him.

"Yes. As long as everyone who needs to be informed is in the loop, I'd say you are good to go."

Genevieve jumped up and hugged Justin, who surprised, laughed as he returned it.

Bill turned to face Steffy.

"Congratulations, CEO."

"You won't regret this."

"I never thought that I would."

She smiled and moved in to give him a hug.

It was polite in its execution, enough distance to deem it decent.

The savage in him warred with his conscience, to pull her closer, remove the civility of that distance...

Genevieve, having walked around Justin, grabbed Steffy's arm, disengaging them.

"I have a surprise for you."

Steffy's face changed, a look of irritation replacing the joy.

"No, you didn't?"

"Come on," Genevieve evaded Steffy's inquiry, turning around to face them, "Business tomorrow gentleman. Tonight is for, well, other things."

Winking at Justin, she led them out of the room. Turning to Justin, Bill saw his eyes were still on the doorway, confusion on his face.

"You good?" Bill asked the only person he considered his best friend.

Shaking out of his contemplation, Justin responded, " Yeah, yeah. I'm good."

Bill helped himself to a scotch before returning to stand in front of the glass, the dance floor abuzz with happy patrons, the models from before nowhere to be seen.

"This fashion show will rival them all won't it?"

"Damn straight it will," Bill agreed, taking a swig of the liquor.

Justin's eyes were scanning the crowd rather intently, Bill noticed, and when they stopped, his demeanor shifted, stiffening slightly. Looking down at what had caught his eye, he saw Genevieve on he dance floor, hands seductively running along another man who seemed of European descent. Bill glanced back at his friend to find his eyes focused intently on them.

Interesting...

Looking back down, he felt his beast begin to gnarl, uneasy inside him. He ignored the beast. Eyes scanning the crowd, his heart jumped, hand tightening on the glass in his hand, the beast crouching inside him.

Eyes boring into what he was seeing, he saw as Steffy was bent backwards, a man's hands on her hips, lips on neck, her head thrown back laughing.

The beast in him roared loudly, the savage in him went feral, the alpha in him demanded retribution.

Mine...

"Bill, dude?"

Justin's voice was muzzled, all his efforts on trying to focus on breathing and calming down, and failing miserably.

"Bill?"

"Yes." His voice was monotone, the anger balancing the rage into a cold tone.

"Oh shit." He turned to see Justin was looking at what had put him in this mood. His friend looked back at him, understanding in his eyes, bewilderment as well.

"I'm going to leave now."

"Good idea."

"Their expenses?"

"Already covered," Justin added knowing Bill referred to the ladies that had been with them not long before.

Downing the rest of the liquor, he put down the glass, now sporting cracks from the pressure of his hand, and quickly exited the room, choosing only to pass by his office for a quick update. Being a silent owner had its perks. Having everyone who knew of his position sign non-disclosure statements did help.

A quick ten minutes later, and satisfied with the progress of one of the many investments he had procured in this sector, despite having perhaps scared the young man with his boorish voice and harsh mannerisms, Bill and his dark mood left the office, intending to use the back door to access his private garage.

"Bill?"

Her voice traveled across the empty corridor, bringing him to a halt. Breathing in, and hoping for patience, he turned around.

Her face showed concern the moment it landed on his livid features.

He had no right to feel the way he felt at that moment, to feel the jealousy at that man's hands on her, the possessiveness as he had seen him touch her skin, the ascendancy his beast was barking at him to enact.

He said nothing...

She walked closer towards him, stopping a few feet in front of him.

He clenched and unclenched his fists, his car keys jingling with the motion. She noticed the action.

She took a step closer...

"Not saying goodbye?"

He said nothing...

Another step closer...

The beast clawed at his chains.

She tilted her head to the side, saying nothing for a moment more.

Another step closer...

He took a step back...

The beast clawed the chains harder...

Her face became closed...

She began to take a step back...

The chains gave way...

He leapt...

Grabbing her waist, he turned, pushing her against the wall, closing the distance between their bodies, caging her.

Her breath hitched...

He pushed her further into the wall with his body, her breath becoming more staggered.

His heart hammered in his chest...

He gazed into her eyes, damn those beautiful eyes.

His head moved closer to hers, slanting, as he poured his breath into hers, before closing his lips over hers.

Fire engulfed him...

Soft, warm lips moved against his, her lavender scent seeping into his mouth, jasmine an aftertaste.

She whimpered, her arms coming to grasp his arms, pulling him closer.

Opening his mouth against hers, he deepened the kiss, waves of passion consuming him as he felt her hands dig into his hair and tug.

The beast growled, he growled, a hand moving across the skin of her exposed back to rest between her shoulder blades and nudge her forward so they were...

Chest to chest...

Hip to hip...

Mouth to mouth...

Her leg curled around his calf, bringing Bill closer to her body, hunger increasing...

He jerked away.

"Shit!" He shouted, running a hand through his hair, his breath still fast, the beast growling at him for stopping.

He looked at her as she leaned against the wall, eyes closed as she breathed in slowly, trying to catch her breath.

"That was a mistake." She stated her voice sultry low even then.

She took a deep breath in.

"Can never happen again."'

Inhaled another deep breath in.

"First time this happened didn't work out for me, what you being dedicated to your marriage and all."

She inhaled again.

"So I'm just going to walk back into the club, you're going to go home and this NEVER happened."

She inhaled again.

"Okay, I'll see you..."

"Shut up," he growled before he grabbed her face, burying his hands into her hair, pulling her face towards his, crashing their mouths together, bringing another whimper out of her, and indulging in the taste that he knew was already his addiction.


	4. Chapter 4

Hands ran through his hair, soft fingers grazing his scalp, a sharp tug every single time they passed his nape. His hands gripped brunette tresses of hair, his head tilted… as flames spread down the side of his neck, simmering down his chest, lips pressing softly against his jaw, moving up, and up…

Teeth subtly nipped his ear, an eruption of heat followed, his breath deepened, jasmine and honey flooded his lungs, desire intensified, his closed eyes fluttered, his hand tightened…

Sweet lips softly lowered, a drugging wine as they sipped on his…

Again…

And again…

The wood groaned under his other hand, curled around the edge of the desk.

He leaned in, moving against her lips, drugging taste filling his mouth…

He wanted more…

Uncurling his fingers, he moved his hand to rest behind her, laid flat on the desk. He leaned his body forward, bringing them closer together as she drove him crazy.

Gripping her hair more tightly, his head bent as he deepened the kiss, flooding his senses more, hunger increasing….

Her hands grabbed his shoulders, a soft moan leaving her lips….

That sound driving him wild….

His beast demanding to feed to gluttony…

He indulged…

Hand curling along her hip, fingers grazing her bare back, he urged her further up, sitting her on the edge of the desk, grabbing her lower neck….

A force suddenly hit his chest, forcing him to step back.

His beast snarled….

He took a step back towards her…

She placed stopping hand on his chest, heat beaming through to his skin, but still, it gave him slight pause…

Looking at her, he saw the resolution enter her eyes once again; one he thought he had finally wore down.

She took a deep breath in.

"You need to stop," she started.

He raised his eyebrows, a hand running through his hair, frustrated.

All he wanted to do was kiss her…

Over…

And over…

And over again.

The beast clamouring for him to do so much more…

"Fine," she sighed, head facing upwards, "We both need to stop."

Stepping forward, he placed slight pressure on her hand, her touch seeping through more.

"Okay." Voice gruff, he agreed, despite his unwillingness to do so.

She shook her head, shocked at his compliance as well.

"You said that before."

A small smile played on his lips as he remembered grabbing her the moment she had followed him after he walked away into the office, the beast uncaged as he turned and gave into the urge, his name a whisper on her lips as he had kissed her, already ravenous for another taste, his hands full of her hair as he held her immobile for his assault.

"And the time before that."

A smile graced her face as well, the licks of flame in her eyes as they recalled how she had grabbed his face as she had been about to walk out of the door, pulling him in, kissing him with such passion the beast had purred, fire burning him as he ran his fingers down her back to tug her closer, as the kiss deepened, the door slamming behind them.

"And the time…"

Reaching across, he placed a feather light touch with his finger to her lips, quieting her.

"Point received." He replied.

He brought his other hand, placing it over Steffy's as it rested palm down on his chest, inches from his fast paced heartbeat.

Her tongue slipped out, a tentative lick on the pad of his finger, mouth opening to envelope his finger, hot suction following.

His breath sucked in…

Her eyes hooded…

His hand curled around her wrist, moving her wrist to his hip…

He swiftly stepped forward…

Finger released, he grabbed her jaw, leaning down…

A quick peck to her lips…

He inhaled her exhaled breath…

Another quick peck on lips so soft…

He swooped in, her lips parting at his urging as he delved deeper…

Kissed her harder…

Longer…

He held her hand, their fingers entwined, to his hip, insignificant distance between them, fire rising, scorching…

Her fingers grabbing his hip, she urged him forward…

He leaned back prolonging the distance…

Fingers sliding down to the base of her neck, thumb pushing her head back…

A touch of his lips at the corner of her mouth…

Cascading kisses down her neck, a gentle bite at her pulse point…

Her hand grabbed his forearm, nails biting into his skin…

Flames leapt…

Her head fell back further as he leisurely licked the bite…

Again she urged him closer, moving their entwined hands to his back.

He allowed it…

Stepping forward…

Close enough for heat to pulsate between them as they kissed…

His hand travelling town her bared back, currents of fire moving down…

Her hand found its way back, gripping his hair…

He kissed her deeper, pushing her up the desk, her legs caught between his…

His beast rumbled, the sound pouring past his lips and into her mouth…

As her hand travelled to his neck…

She tilted her face away from him, her hand pushing him back yet again…

He fought to control the beast in its discontent.

"Steffy," he whispered, his thumb circling her skin just below her jaw.

"I…," she took a heavy breath.

Her hand moved to his shoulder, pulsing heat penetrating him.

"We…," she stopped yet again.

Silence followed, and he waited, patient.

She finally turned her head, their eyes colliding, awareness jolting yet again.

More alive…

More potent…

He breathed in, calming down the urge to kiss her again, her scent making it harder…

Slowly driving him mad…

"I won't kiss you again," he promised. She scoffed in response, tilting her head, her eyebrows raised.

"I won't," he reiterated, moving his hand to the base of her hair.

Moving in closer to her, his eyes locked onto hers…

The sentient awareness rose…

"No matter how much I want to," he breathed on her lips.

Placing a kiss on her cheek, he stepped back, coldness washing over him the moment her hands left him.

"I should be getting back to Genevieve," she said as she stood straight.

"Okay."

As she passed him, her scent travelling with the wind to tease his senses once more, he couldn't resist the urge his beast created in him.

Raising his arm, he let his fingers slightly grasp her arm…

She stopped…

He pulled her back, slowly, her back to his front, his mouth by her ear…

Running his hand to the spot just between her shoulders, he felt the jump in her as the electricity hummed between them…

Lightly trailing his hands down her spine, he watched her…

The way her head slightly fell forward, the way her breath stopped, only to start up again, a faster, shorter pace…

"I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered on her nape, resisting the urge to place a kiss there.

Steffy took a step forward…

Stopped…

Her head turned back to look at him…

Her eyes full of unmistakable hunger

He felt his eyes heat in response…

"Tomorrow," her parting words as she then turned, the office door bringing in the sounds of the dancefloor, bringing in with it a dose of reality.

Grabbing his phone out of his pocket as he walked towards the door, reality came knocking a little bit harder.

Seven missed calls from Katie…

 _A week later_

She was avoiding him.

He knew it and she knew it. They both did. He assumed that she would have wanted to talk it out with him, acknowledge its existence. Instead the past week had passed in his witness of her evasive manoeuvring techniques.

Every single time Steffy had to present him with a concept, or a stage plan, or some other glitch in regards to the fashion show that was fast approaching, she always made sure that someone else was present. He didn't know how she did it, but she did. He sat there, across from her, the sight of her so close taunting him, listening to her, barely caring about the details, wanting her to, urging her to just…look at him.

Simply…

Wanting…

Her...

He knew the end result for the show would surpass even her expectations. He had unshakable faith in her fashion prowess.

Every time she just sat there, focused on everything but him.

It made his beast …irate.

He felt it, stronger with every exposure to her presence, that unwavering energy between them, a foretelling running down his spine before she walked into the room, heightening the moment she stepped in, increasing every second she was in his company. He could tell she was as aware of it as he was, her hand constantly running across her neck whenever it pulsated to another higher frequency, heightening.

Genevieve, a constant companion for a majority of their encounters always gave him a perceptive look whenever their eyes passed each other, plus another one whenever she entered or left the room. Steffy had no doubt informed her of their history, and what had become their present.

He didn't care…

He just wanted her to do something, anything…

Some deity must have deigned to hear his request a few days later when, walking the ladies to the elevator, Genevieve excused herself, informing Steffy she would meet her back at Forrester. The look of surprise that flashed across her face told him that this had not been an original part of her plan to avoid him for yet another day. He spotted Justin in the corner of his eye as he followed Genevieve into his office. The ding of the elevator signalled its arrival, and before she even had the chance to formulate some kind of excuse to get her out of getting in, he placed a hand at her back, nudging her forward into the carriage space.

As she stepped in front of him, no doubt having felt the tingle of his hand as much as he had felt the sudden thump of his heart, he waited for the elevator doors to close.

She started to turn around, only to find herself backed against the wall in the corner, her jaw secured in his hand, her hands flat on the mirror behind her, his arm beside her head, somewhat caging her in.

"Why've you been avoiding me?"

"You know why," she responded back.

"You don't want to talk about it?"

"I don't think there is anything to talk about."

He forced her head back, leaning into her, their faces closer together.

"Bullshit."

"Come on Bill. Just forget about it. Pretend it didn't happen, let it go."

His beast, agitated each day he had not heard her sweet voice, felt her wondrous touch, kissed her addictive lips ….growled at the suggestion.

"And if I can't?"

She didn't respond, a frustrated sigh leaving her mouth.

"And if I won't?" he asked again.

Her silence persisted.

"And if I refuse to?"

She tried to look to the side, away from him but he kept his grip on her jaw firm.

"And if I don't want to?"

He asked, her green eyes showing specks of slight exasperation, struggle and…

Craving…

He stepped closer, his body barely brushing hers, his hand sliding to connect with her nape, his thumb by her ear.

"What then?"

The emotions played again in her eyes, her breathing growing short, fast, laboured…

Tilting his head, he leaned in close until his nose touched hers, and looking into her eyes, he told her the truth he was coming to realise.

"This feeling, this… whatever it is… between you and me… it is existent."

She began to slowly shake her head, as if denying it would make it go away. She lowered her eyes, breaking away from his gaze, attempting to disconnect from him.

Something inside him, deep inside him, refused to let her.

Dropping his head down until his eyes met hers once more he declared,

"It's not going away, it's here, and it's happening," his voice hoarse and soft.

She closed her eyes.

The ding of the elevator had him stepping back from her a second before the doors slid open, the ground level reached.

As she walked out of the elevator, he told her,

"Stop avoiding it, stop avoiding me."

The doors slid shut on her looking back at him, uncertainty in her eyes, craving ever present.

Now days later he found himself across the desk once more. The fashion show, scheduled a mere fortnight after the Forrester takeover, was looming on the horizon, the venue undergoing preparations, final modifications being put on the designs.

"Caroline finished adding her touches on the designs, with Ridge's input to make it appeal more to the male demographic." Genevieve continued to brief him and everyone present on the developments and bumps in the road they had encountered.

Steffy sat next to her. He could tell with his peripheral vision that she had her hand running along her neck, as it had been for the last two minutes. He could feel the increase in the pull and he had ben trying his best to avoid looking her way, despite the manner in which his beast would purr when he did.

Fifteen long minutes later, they wrapped up the meeting, everyone leaving except the debriefing team from Forrester, Justin and Wyatt. Genevieve looked at Justin, who seemed to have been surreptitiously avoiding her gaze throughout the whole meeting. Bill smiled on the inside, knowing his friend had no idea what he was in store for, and hoping he had the steel conviction to ride it through. He had a feeling the French designer would be good for him, spice him up just enough.

Wyatt had become Bill's partial liaison at Forrester Creations, having helped his mother establish herself in the company; he had given him the opportunity to prove his acumen in managing his fashion aspects of the job, allowing him to be the voice of the Spencer interests. He was off to the side, talking to the rest of the debriefing team, Steffy among them.

Knowing they would inform him if any other paramount decisions were reached, he left the conference room, heading for his office, the tycoon in him already working on how best to achieve the business deals he wanted sorted out before the end of the month. Having become lost in the work in front of him, he was standing at the edge of his desk, screens uploaded with images of his deals, his mind sorting out how he was going to dip his toe further into the….

He felt the tug in his chest…

He heard the soft click of his door…

Energy banked in him…

The definitive sound of heels approaching…

Jasmine and honey seeped into his lungs…

Turning around, he saw her approaching him, with measured steps, contemplation written on her face, in her eyes…

He stood still…

Waiting…

Steffy sauntered up to him, her eyes on his, her hands coming to rest on his forearms as they held the desk

She lifted herself unhurriedly…

Her lips met his…

Soft and sweet…

A brush across his…

No deeper…

Yet powerful…

She stepped back and he saw a conviction enter her eyes as she raised her hand, rubbing it across his lips.

A small smile on her lips, she turned around and began to walk away.

The next morning, thoughts of her still plagued his head, but he pushed them to the back burner, along with the dribbles of conscience that told him he should feel some fostered guilt regarding how he felt, on whose image it was that brought a stutter to his heartbeat.

He found that he didn't.

Backstage of Forrester was humming with movement, people rushing around, putting the final touches on the specifications, Genevieve working with Ridge and Caroline to deliver final alterations to the designs for the fashion show that was set to debut in no less than an hour. The press was clamouring outside, finding their designated seats. Justin was beside him, his eyes actively looking at the French designer.

"She's gotten under your skin," he said to his friend, loving the look of annoyance that passed his face.

"I wouldn't say that." He said, rebuking Bill's statement.

"How do you figure that? By the way you can't seem to stop looking at her right now?"

"Whatever." Justin snapped, causing Bill to laugh.

Justin looked at him, his eyebrows raised, letting Bill know what he was about to say. He beat him to it.

"We're not talking about me right now. We're talking about you." Bill poked Justin's shoulder to emphasize his point, snickering once again when his gaze snapped to Geneveive when her voice rose, alerting everyone at backstage that they had less than forty minutes to the show.

He stopped his snickering when the awareness slid down his spine.

She was here.

She was a sight for sore eyes, the time since he had seen her last seeming much longer than it had been.

Smiling, she walked over, giving her father a quick hug, his niece as well. They talked for a few minutes, Genevieve vividly gesturing with her hands to Steffy, who grabbed her hands, nodding her head, agreeing to whatever the designer was requesting. Genevieve's smile beamed as she clapped her hands together. Steffy shook her head, smiling as well as she walked away towards the office area, a heated look as their eyes locked briefly.

He found his feet moving towards her, yelling over his shoulder,

"I'll be right back Justin."

He heard the man's laughter as he walked away.

She turned into the first office. He followed her in.

Shutting the door behind him, he went to ask her if she was ready to knock the fashion industry on its feet.

Steffy pushed him back against the door before he had even got a word out, her fingers running up his neck, in his nape as she pulled his head down…

Her lips opening over his as she took…

And took…

And he found himself helpless to do anything but stand there, hands on her hips, pulling her closer as he gave it all…

Too soon for his liking she stepped back, pausing just to swipe his lip with her tongue, his beast growling at her action.

"There, now I'm ready," her voice soft.

She moved to step back from him, but he tightened his grip on her hips, pulling her flush against him, her breath rushing out of her at the act, but his beast demanded he claim, and plan to he did…

Swooping down he kissed her again, deeper, longer, slower, a muted gasp leaving her mouth as her fingers tightened in his hair, running down to grab his shoulders, back into his hair, pathways of heat flaming him from within…

Growling low, he pushed her back, smirking at how astonished she looked, not being able to resist dipping his head once again, biting the edge of her lip lightly, her hands tightening in his hair…

"Now you're ready."

He grinned at her, stepping out of the room and walked back towards where he had left Justin, a slight spring in his step.

His advisor was in a heated conversation with Genevieve. Bill reconsidered, turning to make his way to the showroom and take his heat. Genevieve's voice stopped him.

"Mr. Spencer, Justin was just looking for you."

Bill turned around; Justin's clenched jaw telling him he did not like being dismissed.

Genevieve blew him a kiss before she turned and returned to the models. Justin stared at her back for a moment, before he stormed over to Bill who had to resist the urge to smirk.

"Wyatt, Liam." He greeted his sons, taking his seat next to them, Ivy backstage helping with the show.

Wyatt exuded an excited vibe, no doubt itching to see the result of their hard work. And the theme of the show didn't hurt, neither did them rubbing it in Rick's face that he had been bested, Eric as well, even if he was an unanticipated casualty. Feelings of betrayal ran rampant between father and son, but he would soon get over it. He had no choice to.

The thought had him looking at Liam, who seemed happy in his current relationship. But there was always that possibility that he still held a torch for Steffy. And if he did…would he stand in the way of reconciliation between them?

His beast barked at the notion, answering from him, the Neanderthal in him beating his chest in fury at the thought.

Further musings were delayed as the stage darkened, the room quieted.

The show was set to begin…


	5. Chapter 5

The lights continued to darken, leaving the room in nothing but a dark void as music began to filter through the sound system.

 _"Cause baby now we got bad blood,_

 _You know we used to be mad love,_

 _So take a look what you've done,_

 _Cause baby now we got bad blood._

 _Hey"_

The centre of the stage lit up a rotating platform in the centre as Kendrick Lamar stepped up, flowing with words that set the stage for the show. The stage went dark once again, the back of the room lighting up, the runway extended to reach the front entrance, slow blinking LED lights showcasing Taylor Swift as she stepped out singing, dressed in a short jump suit, loose gold chains wrapped around her waist and neck, a loose gold chain hanging loose, as if a leash, gold spiked shoes on her feet, no doubt a piece from the collection.

She walked up towards the runway as she sang, turning when she reached the platform to stand where Kendrick Lamar had disappeared from.

As the chorus began, the room had a moment of darkness again, the sides of the room lighting to show extensions of the runway as they weaved through the rows of guests leading all the way to the main runway floor, amber hues casting the models in shadowed light as they ambled down their stage, various outfits on display, some more risqué than others. A floor length black dress accentuated with see through sections running down the back, a black choker on the model's neck, a red dress, the chest piece fashioned as a bondage corset, a silver spiked necklace adding domination, a one-arm knee length dress, sections cut out to show hints of skin down her front, a spiked bracelet on her arm. Another dressed in leather dress shirt she held open at her chest, a red and black Mercedes hat tilted on her head, tall leather boots on her legs and sheer lace gloves on her hands.

Kendrick Lamar appeared again as the models finally reached the stage, circling him as he sang once again. A hand appeared on his shoulder as he continued singing, the model walking around him to reveal Genevieve, wearing the first piece of the lingerie section of the line. Her chest was wrapped in a black and white corset that ran down and connected to silver chains that were brandished on her waist, ripped fishnet stockings that ended in tall boots that had belts weaving through them, one arm in a ripped glove, her other arm sporting spiked bracelets that ran down her forearm, a simple silver choker on her neck. Genevieve stepped around Kendrick Lamar, her other hand revealing a whip thrown over her shoulder.

When she was almost at the end of the runway she waved the whip, snapping it in the air. The stage darkened slightly as if on cue, the whip lighting up, cerulean glowing from it as she continued to whip it.

Lingerie models weaved from behind her, one dressed in a bondage Angela dress, constructed to create bodycon girdles, strips of fabrics combined and embellished with symmetrically placed gold oversize rings, a bondage Perspex cuff on her wrist, a touch of S&M deluxe exhibited. Following was a model donning white lingerie accentuated by a voyeur harness with shoulder pads and oversized gold rings all across the straps attached to her abdomen, sheer tulle glove handcuffs on her arms, followed by a model dressed in a silk kimono paired with briefs, a detachable silver harness across her waist, an ivory bondage lasso in her hand, half of it dragging across the floor. Next was a model dressed in an ivory sheer silk scarf covering tied to a studded leather collar, a webbed suspender belt over briefs, ivory panelling the front all around the back with silver plated details attached. The exquisite designs continued to pour out onto the stage.

The music tempo slowed down, Taylor Swift's voice still drifting through the sound system as all the models returned once more to take the stage, the runway becoming dimmer except for the indigo light that began to emanate from the back wall, illuminating nothing but the showpieces and their chosen wearers. As they all lined up across the front of the stage, the centre left vacant the indigo light began to dim more.

The first thing to be seen was the silvery light that showcased a leg upon which rested purple sexy suede heels. Purple heels that ran up, stopping halfway up, silver studs and laces adorning the front, the front cut out to reveal her foot. As the model continued to step forward, each of her steps lighted up the area of the stage she stepped on, and still, her form was kept dark. The background light from the stage began to brighten.

Bill's breath stopped.

His obsession continued to walk down the runway dressed in the showstopper, quite the sensual ensemble…

Black and silver lace lingerie graced Steffy's frame, braces attaching straps all across her abdomen onto her back, to connect and wrap over the suspender wrapped around her lower midriff, webbed garters with silver plated rings at the centre front, on her legs, white and silver satin handcuffs adorning her hands, black sheer braces on her forearms. She ambled down the runway, hands wrapped around the straight whip that ran across her neck, her hair falling in waves down her back. And all across her left, running from her waist, reappearing and disappearing underneath the flimsy material that covered her, was a design of intricate thorns weaved around white and black roses, the petals falling off as the tattoo descended down towards her hips, a fragmented sleek tachi sword slipping through the petals of the vine that held the flowers.

"Hot, freaking, damn." Wyatt whispered.

Bill barely heard his son's voice, as his beast reared up, urging him to pounce, to take, to claim…

She was a vision…

One to behold…

She came to a halt at centre stage, next to Genevieve, her face domineering in its intensity. Her eyes scanned the crowd, as if searching for a victim, the floor underneath her the only section of the whole stage that was lit with an azure light. As her eyes passed over their section, they paused…

As she looked right at him…

In a dark room…

Eyes locked…

His fist clenched as he took a deep breath, her effect on him even from afar…

Beyond belief…

Her eyes left his and he felt disconnect the moment they did.

She lifted her hands over her head, the silver cuffs holding her wrists captive as she brought the whip in front of her, bending it until it snapped, the cuffs following suit.

She held the two broken pieces in her hands, a cunning smirk as she did. Turning around she sauntered away.

The models all turned around and departed from the stage behind her as the performers song wound down, leaving nothing but silence, a dark room, and the hints of sexual dominance.

The clapping erupted seconds later, as the lights came on, the whole room standing in ovation.

The whisky in his hand some minutes later did nothing to assuage his nerves.

His beast was clamoring to see her.

The savage in him had been pacing ever since he had laid eyes on her on that stage.

All he could think of was how breathtaking she had looked…

How her eyes had flared when she had seen him…

How his heart had become a staccato when in the obscurity of a room this pull that was between them had her finding him…

He wanted her near, close enough to…

His gaze swept the room as he spotted Katie talking to her sisters. She had arrived for the fashion show at some point, no doubt wanting to see if it would actually be a success. Looking at her, he waited for that guilt to come knocking, for that reality to come sweeping in, for that common sense to take hold.

It didn't.

And he didn't seem to care.

The former love of her life was next to him in conversation with his brother. The man he had helped her to be with, the one everyone had said was meant to be her happily ever after when they had separated ways. The one if everything had gone its way would have given him a grandchild by the woman whose face was currently an imprinted image in his head.

All that mattered to him in that moment was setting sight on the woman that had efficiently taken over him.

"I have to ask you this question."

"Just don't," Liam responded to his brother, annoyance in his tone.

"If you know what it is I'm going to ask, why not just give me the answer. Because you know I will ask it if you don't, and continue to, until you give in and tell me what it is I want to know."

"It's none of your business."

"That makes me even more curious. Are you sure you want me more curious right now? Are you positive that is in your best interests Liam?"

"All I will say was it was complicated."

"It always is with you. But just so I'm clear, you're telling me, that you let that go," Bill vaguely noticed Wyatt's fingers point towards the side. After a moment Wyatt added, "Are you senile?"

Bill knew they were talking about her, and his beast continued to get agitated at this, despite his efforts to rein it in.

"Just shut up," Liam snapped at Wyatt, as they both grew silent.

He continued to watch the amber liquid as it swirled in his glass.

That tendril…

Awareness across his spine…

She was near…

Head rising, he saw her approach them, her eyes averted from him, her body language giving her away to the fact that it was assuaging her too.

She stopped in front of them, her eyes taking in her sons, his glued to her as she presented herself as a vision of beauty once again, an orchid purple cowl neck Dress clinging to every curve, the front dipping to show a hint of skin.

His beast growled…

Touch…

The breath he took in a mistake…

Her scent assaulting him…

Her stance shifted when her eyes landed on Liam.

His beast scratched at his chains.

He tightened their grip…

"Liam," her voice, though soft, held a hint of remembrance, and that irked.

"Steffy," his son's voice, equal in its tone.

His son moved forward as if to embrace her.

The beast scratched harder.

Mine…

Claim…

Dammit.

He tightened the chains further.

Steffy placed a hand in front of her, holding it out towards Wyatt and stopping Liam in his pursuit of an embrace

"And you must be Wyatt," her tone friendly, she reached out and shook his hand.

Wyatt smiled at Steffy, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her hand.

Steffy giggled, pulling her hand away as she noted, "Such a Spencer you are."

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders in response.

Her eyes finally turned to his, a flicker of fire in them. He knew his eyes held the same.

"Bill," her tone maintained a neutral tone.

He nodded his head in return.

"So are you going to congratulate me or not?" she asked teasingly.

A snicker escaped him.

"Only when I see the figures, no sooner." He replied.

"Always such a hard man to please, aren't you?"

He shrugged.

Her lips curved.

Realism intruded.

" _Mon cher_ ," words uttered in a low voice before he saw hands wound around her waist.

His beast raised its head swiftly teeth bared.

The stranger, the one he recognized from the club, placed a kiss on her cheek before moving to stand beside her.

"So it was a success no?"

"What do you think?" Turning to face the three Spencer men once more she introduced him as André, a man she had met in France sometime after she had met Genevieve.

"André, this is Bill Spencer and his two sons Liam and Wyatt." The man held out his hand greeting his sons, meeting Bill's eyes as he shook his, a knowing edge in them that bothered him.

"It's nice to finally meet you. Steffy is not forthcoming with information about her life here, so it is always a pleasure to put faces to the few characters in the stories she has told me."

"André," she chastised him.

" _Oui, Oui. Si méfiant_. I'll stay quiet, yes?" he had an unrepentant look on his face as he said to this Steffy, who found this amusing, as a laugh bubbled out of her.

None of the men replied, Bill choosing to focus once again on the drink in his hand, as he continued in his vain struggle to bank the possessiveness that was sweeping through him. If he kept his eyes on the way André's hands lingered on her arm every time he addressed her, how he leaned in to speak to her, as if to whisper in her ear, as a lover would, as a lover had a right to, he would give into the violence that was riding his beast as every single second passed by. Justin arrived to join them, standing next to him as he began to strike up a conversation with Steffy and André.

"Bill?" his friend asked him, shaking his shoulder to garner his attention.

Bill looked up from his glass to look at Justin.

"Uh huh?"

His friend's eyes gave nothing away as he asked without pause, "Are you ready to go so we can discuss the projections you wanted to chat about?"

Downing his drink, still looking at Justin, he nodded, "Yeah sure."

He turned to face everyone else, "I'll see you boys at the office Monday morning. Enjoy the rest of the night. André it was nice to meet you."

He couldn't help but look at her as he spoke then, "Bring me those numbers Steffy and I'll call it a done deal and sign the paperwork making you CEO."

The gasps around the group were expected. The only people who had known of this plan were himself, Justin, Steffy and his board of directors. Even his wife didn't know, and he knew her reaction would be quite colourful.

"But remember, it's only if you can get her to stay as well." He had added a clause to their agreement, telling her that Genevieve was now a part of the package or there was nothing to discuss. He was determined to keep her around. Seeing her dalliance with Justin would prove amusing for him. She had a way of keeping the man on his feet. Win-win.

"Dad?" Liam asked him as Bill began to turn away from the group.

"Liam," he answered in a brusque tone that held no room for confrontation, a hint of the brute leaking out.

His son's chest rose with restrained fury, he knew that Liam hadn't expected this outcome.

"Congratulations Steffy," Wyatt said, attempting to break through the tension that was beginning to seep in.

"Thank you Wyatt." As she said this, her eyes were on Liam, anger swirling within them. Liam turned to face her, his body slumping when he saw that he was unintentionally saying she did not deserve the position they all knew she would make the best of, even if he had wanted it for himself.

"Now then, I must be on my way. Goodbye." He turned and walked with Justin over to the Logan sisters.

"Congratulations Bill," Brooke said, but he could tell she wasn't happy about the power he held over the precious Forrester Creations and his son, who they both knew he was not a recent fan of, even if she did understand his drive.

"Thank you." The fashion show would be a success, there was no doubt of it, and he knew this was the beginning of a new market base, one that would increase Forrester's presence on the map. And he knew that they all knew it was, like it or not.

"Well done sweetie," Katie added, her hand coming to rest on his forearm as she came to stand next to him. His mind played back to the argument they had had before about him taking over Forrester, how he had done it, and why he hadn't involved her. He had told her the truth. That she would have tried to use her morality compass to make him back out of it for the sake of her sisters, and her nephew. She hadn't argued with him because she knew what he had said was the truth, because she knew that he was who he was, even if she claimed to accept it as she sought to fight with the fabric of what made him Dollar Bill Spencer.

"Thank you," his voice hiding the truth of what he felt at that moment; disappointment that his wife knew him no more than the acquaintances that called themselves his friends.

Confusion that the only person he wanted to actually be standing next to him did not wear his ring, or bear him a child.

Longing that she wasn't next to him at that moment, ensuring this moment of victory would be unforgettable.

"I'll see you at home. Stay and enjoy yourself, I'm going out with Justin for a bit." Bending his head as he looked at his wife, he placed a chaste kiss on her lips, hoping that he would feel a spark of something, anything, as his lips made contact with his.

All that met him was feelings of familiarity, no passion, no longing, no ferocious need.

"See you later." She replied.

Justin let him dwell in his silence as he drove. Bill had no idea where they were going; just that he said it would be somewhere low key, private and soothing. They ended up in a jazz club on the upper side of the city. Justin led him to a booth at the back far corner, sectioned off from the rest of the room, gauzy material rendering it a little cove in its design.

"You gonna be okay?" Justin asked his first statement since they had left Forrester.

"I have no choice but to be," he responded, thinking that it was the reality that he would have to come to terms to.

Steffy shouldn't and couldn't be with him, be his.

He needed to eradicate these thoughts of her.

And he just had to accept that and focus on his marriage, one he had recommitted to, despite whatever was twisting him seven ways from Sunday on the inside.

As they sat there listening to the sultry voice of the performer, Bill quieted his chaotic mind, grateful his friend knew better than to try and pry information out of him. Justin seemed quite preoccupied himself, if Bill was being honest, constantly staring at his phone every ten minutes or so. Bill knew it had to do with Genevieve. If it was pertinent, he had no doubt he would have informed him of it.

A sensual tempo began to emanate from the speakers, the performer's voice blending with it to create an amatory atmosphere. Bill found himself relaxing to her voice further as the song played on.

Lost in the music, he only felt it when hands ran down his chest from behind, the touch sending explosions of burning heat through him.

Her voice, so soft and low, she sang …

 _When you put your arms around me_

 _I get a fever that's so hard to bear_

Her hands stretching out in front of him, fingers snapping lightly…

 _You give me fever (fever)_

 _When you kiss me and fever when you hold me tight (fever)_

A hot whisper in his ear…

 _You give me fever_

 _In the mornin' and fever all through the night_

A soft breath on his cheek, gentle brush of lips

 _My baby's so damn sexy (oh)_

 _My baby put the fever on me (oh)_

Fingers tracing down his arms, a sensory caress

 _My baby knows just what to do (oh)_

 _You got me boilin' past a hundred and two (oh)_

 _You give me fever_

Her fingertips on the edge of his jaw, urging him to look into her eyes as the last words left her, her lips a hairbreadth away.

He leaned in…

Compelled beyond reason...

Gentle touch of lips…

Eruption of flame…

Shackling of chains…


	6. Chapter 6

As she circled around the booth he couldn't keep his eyes off her, the ultra-low scooped back broken only by straps connecting to a gold ring on her lower left back that left nothing in him but the urge to pull her close…

Run his fingers along her skin…

Seating down next to him, close enough for her presence to further assault him, far enough to make the longing rise…

Crossing her legs she watched him, the intensity in her eyes battering at his newly constructed defences, driving rationale away.

"You're here," he stated, voice somewhat hoarse.

"Yes, as one can clearly see." She gestured her head behind him.

Bill turned his head to find Genevieve talking to Justin, his friend looking at the French woman intently as she spoke, absorbed.

"Doesn't explain what you yourself are doing here." He turned to face her, wanting her, needing her to say it.

And realising that she was almost as stubborn as he was…she wouldn't capitulate to that easily.

"I don't need to explain it." Her tone told him she didn't want to argue

He knew if he pushed she would barricade herself away again. She was here, of her own volition, and he couldn't resist the enjoyment he derived from it.

He moved closer towards her, eliminating all distance, their legs touching.

"I don't need you to." He leaned in close, boring into her eyes.

"I just care that you are." The veracity of that statement resonated inside him, and he knew she felt it, saw it in his eyes.

All rationale had fled the moment she had placed her fingers on him, whispered softly as she sang to him.

She smiled at him, and the sight of it, being the cause of it, warmth flooded him.

"Now tell me how she roped you into being a model."

She snickered, explaining, "In the end, it was simply easier to just give her what she wanted. She can be such a headache when she's pouty. All the time I had was preoccupied by other things. I didn't want to add her to the mix."

"What other things?"

"You know."

"I want to hear you say it."

"Why?" she breathed.

"Say it."

She turned her head away from him. Placing his glass on the table, he urged her face back towards him, fingertips on her jaw as tendrils of heat erupted at the contact.

"That wall you're trying to construct even as we talk has no ground to stand on, " his fingers trailing down her jawline, "I know you feel it, I can practically smell it in the air when you react," fingers running down soft skin, her pulse pounding, "almost hear the jump in your heartbeat when I touch you," her pulse drumming faster beneath his fingers, "just about feel, taste the pleasure that little contact brings you," her eyes glazing over with his words, "you can't deny this…" lowering his head more, eyes locked, " just as much as I can't."

Steffy's chest rose as she bit back, "Doesn't change the fact that you're married to the woman you picked over me once before."

Bill saw the pain in her eyes as she said it, the urge to drive it away an unalterable entreaty he could not reject.

"Even that doesn't change the fact that you are all I think about," he leaned in closer, "all I seem to want, no matter how wrong it should be," lips pressed gently against hers, "or how right it feels," tongue licking her lips, her shocked gasp giving him the opening he needed as he leaned in, sealing his mouth over hers, her inebriating taste flooding him…

Her eyes fluttered closed.

Pulling back, he told her, "Say it," before he leaned in again, sipping on her lips, her breath turning short as he did this.

"I'll concede... that… it's there." It was barely a whisper heard above the music.

Slanting his lips over hers, he kissed her again, slightly deeper.

Gazing into her eyes when he pulled away, his lips widened a genuine smile on his lips.

He leaned back; draping is arm across her shoulders as he did.

She gravitated towards him.

"I never figured you a jazz lover."

"I'm not, usually, not up until I had someone change my mind just now."

She smiled, "Bet you never thought I could sing."

"I'd never put anything past you Steffy Forrester. I expect much more surprises will emerge from you."

"How did you like the fashion show?" she asked, a level of seriousness in her tone that told him her business acumen was forefront.

"I suspect many will be surprised by the foray into the dark edge of sensuality. Forrester Creations has never done that before. That being said, you and Genevieve made it work; pulled the whole thing off with a finesse that will no doubt leave the fashion industry waiting for more."

Her face lit up at his words.

"I have to admit, if Andre hadn't helped us, we wouldn't have been able to make it that superb."

"Helped you how?" his voice harsh as jealousy reared its nosy head.

A knowing smirk on her face as she answered, no doubt amused by his tone.

"Back in Europe he is a stage and lighting effect savant, known for pushing the boundaries .He's the one who designed it so that my shoes would light up with every step I took. He also called in a favour from Taylor Swift who he met in Paris. Lemar was more than happy to help her out with the performance."

Steffy's smirk lingered even more at how he refused to respond beyond his wordless grunt.

"Did you plan on being a model the whole time you were planning the show?"

"No actually. Genevieve roped me in about ten minutes before the curtains went up. She is tenacious in her requests. She'd designed the outfit I wore on the sly, it wasn't even a part of the original runway pieces, let alone the showstopper we had planned on."

"But what a showstopper it was indeed," Bill responded, his voice hoarse as the image of her sprang forth in his mind.

"Liked it did you?"

"You and I both know the answer to that," he said, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

Steffy giggled, looking at something over his shoulder. He turned to see his friend being dragged on to his feet by a determined Genevieve who was ignoring all his refusals.

"We will make our own dancefloor then. I want to dance, and you will dance with me," she told poor Justin as she continued to drag him away. Smiling he looked back at Steffy to find her eyes on him.

"I am not dancing."

"I know," her sultry voice replied before she snatched his drink out of his hand, throwing it back. Faster than he knew her to be, she leaned in towards him,

"Close your eyes."

"Steffy," he argued, no command in his voice as her fingers ran up his cheek to his eyes.

"Close them."

As if she tugged the string that tethered them together, he found his eyes sliding shut, her soft touch tantalising his skin as fingers ran down his face to his neck, hands flat on his chest a moment before he felt her move away.

"Keep them closed," she warned a second before he was about to do the exact opposite.

A few moments later he felt her presence, before her hands returned to his chest, the heat seeping into his skin as they moved behind his neck, curling into his hair.

A gentle kiss to his jaw before she proceeded to tease him…

A slow swipe of her tongue against his lips…

Scraping nails in his scalp, the bite of it waking his beast…

She held her body away from his, slapping his hands away when he tried to hold her waist.

Soft kisses down his jaw to his neck until she reached his pulse, then back up again.

Moving away from him when he tried to prolong the contact…

The beast clawing at him, to be let loose…

"If you keep teasing me…" he warned her.

"You're going to what Dollar Bill?" his name whispered on his mouth, her voice cocky.

Swiftly, he grabbed her waist, pulling her onto his lap, hand firmly grasping her thigh, sizzling fire at the moment of contact,

The other spread against her back, soft velvet skin beneath his rough palms...

Scorching heat arising…

Eyes still closed he drew her to him, softly biting her lips when she tried to pry away.

They stayed that way, his mind lost in the feel of her, the taste of her, his need for her. Time became an aspect of the world that did not apply to them. He was cocooned in the enchanting nature that was her as he held her to him, peacefulness coursing through him, yearning overtaking him, shredding all the resolve he had once maintained he had, but was nowhere to be found.

Pulling back, he gazed at her, the string between them jerking strongly as they locked eyes, pure bliss spreading throughout him at her smile.

"Let's go get you a drink."

Justin pulled Bill away from Steffy's side a while later, motioning for him to join him. Following him to the booth, his friend looked at him, concern written all over her face.

"I hope you know what it is you're doing."

As Bill searched his thoughts he found himself responding, "No, I absolutely do not. All I know is I'm going to do what feels right. And right now…" he looked towards the bar, at Steffy's head thrown back as she laughed with Genevieve, "she is all that seems to."

"What the hell are you on about?" Justin asked, confused.

In that moment, he chose to voice the truths that raced in his head, the ones he had been negligent to, hoping that simply ignoring them would make them go away.

"I'm not happy." Justin's face registered shock.

"I haven't been happy, And as much as I hate to admit it, the last time I was, Brooke was around."

"You didn't say a thing. You and Katie look the vision of happiness."

"At that time, I believed I was. Maybe I repeated it enough times to myself until I believed it. In my own way, I love my wife; don't get me wrong. I believed that Katie was that road to happiness that I had forgotten, merely strayed from." Eyes straying to his addiction yet again, he added, "Until that moment I looked into her eyes, and everything else, well, was proven irrelevant, misconstrued."

Turning back towards Justin, Bill waited for his friend rebuttal.

"Can't say I don't know what you're saying, because I do."

"The little French morsel you can't wait to devour?"

"Well, yes," Justin laughed.

"What about Donna?"

"Katie?"

"You first comrade"

Sighing he responded, "If I know what's good for me, I will stay away from her. Genevieve would beat both my ass and hers. And I would let her."

"Feisty one you got there."

"And don't I love it."

Justin waited for Bill's answer to his question, and he found he didn't have to think too long about it.

"I wish there was any easier way for Katie to not be hurt, but I can't see one. Here I am, I've convinced her to give me another chance, and now I'm gonna do what? The only thing I know with every fibre of my being is that I am not letting that woman right there go again."

Justin nodded his head. "Well, I'll see you at the office tomorrow."

"You realise you drove me here right, and that my car is at the Forrester car park."

"You're a resourceful man," a pat on his shoulder," you'll find your way."

Going back over to the bar, Justin was met midway by Genevieve who yelled at Steffy, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"You have no boundaries Gen!" Steffy yelled back

"Exactement chéri. Au revoir!" An air blown kiss before the pair left them.

Standing beside her, he leaned in.

"You ready to go?"

Her reply was to stand from the stool, her body pressing up against his as she leaned towards his lips, the contact pouring desire into him, finger underneath his jaw as she placed a peck on his lips, turning away and walking towards the exit.

The first thing his consciousness became aware off was the minor throbbing in his temples. The next was the heat of the body next to him

The familiar scent he breathed in,

His head buried in her neck, arm thrown across her midriff, fingers intertwined.

Slightly raising his head he looked down.

Hair mussed over the pillow, arm tucked underneath her cheek, a vision of unparalleled beauty, peace radiated from her, seeping into him.

Never, had he felt such. Years of waking up next to women, inclusive of his wife, of Brooke, none of it had ever felt this way.

Gently squeezing her closer to him, a light peck on her cheek, he moved to disentangle himself.

Her fingers tightened on his as she turned to face him, eyes fluttering open, desire blossoming in them as he gazed upon them.

"Hey," softly spoken.

He found he couldn't resist it, the urge, his beast driving him.

Lips found lips, hard in their intent, his hand splaying across her abdomen.

"Morning," he replied, voice deep.

"You stayed all night?"

"You wanted me to."

"I didn't think you would."

"I wanted to."

"But Katie…"

"I wasn't going anywhere," he assured her, another quick hard kiss following.

When he finally let her up, she insisted on feeding him breakfast, his shirt lovingly draped over her body.

His beast purred at the sight.

Practically emitted a low roar as he remembered how he had ended at her apartment.

 _They sat in the back of his hired car, Justin having organized it before he'd even left the jazz club._

 _She had distanced herself from him, sitting away from him._

 _Yet she still kept glancing towards him…_

 _Fire in her eyes…_

 _As her hand ran down her exposed neckline…_

 _Her other hand playing with the hem of her dress against her thighs…_

 _Biting her lower lip…_

 _The driver pulled into the driveway at her complex._

 _She reached for the door, silent._

 _He reached out to grab her arm._

 _"Just let it out."_

 _"I don't want you to have to go."_

 _He opened to respond…_

 _"But I understand that you have to," she continued before he had a chance, "So I'm not going to ask you to."_

 _Shaking his arm off, she left the car, his mind in turmoil._

 _Understandably, he had to be heading home._

 _To his wife._

 _But the thought of just leaving Steffy…_

 _His beast gnarled._

 _"Stop," he yelled through the partition as the driver began backing out._

 _Of their own accord, his hands opened the door, catching the elevator doors a second before they shut, Steffy's widening eyes slamming shut as he grabbed her, fingers sinking into her hair as he ravaged her mouth. He didn't let up when she let them into the apartment, as she led him to the couch, straddling his hips, hands on her backside as he inched her forward, sensual hands tearing his shirt open, hands hovering over his chest before that moment…_

 _Of touch…._

 _A hiss of breath leaving him as her hands branded him._

 _They were moving fast, too fast._

 _Pulling away, he held her hands to her chest._

 _It wasn't going to happen like this._

 _"I didn't come up here for this." Moving her hands around his neck, he stood, her legs wrapping around his waist, testing his resolve as the beast demanded more._

 _"Bedroom?"_

 _"Up the stairs to the right."_

 _Steffy ignored his prior edict, running her hands across his neck down to his back as she pressed herself closer as he walked up the stairs, small kisses to his neck, his jaw._

 _Placing her on the ground when they reached the room, he stepped back._

 _She was a siren, calling to him, volumes of wanting in every breath she took, the lingering look she graced upon him, the way he could tell she wanted to take that step towards him._

 _"Go change." His voice, though deep, husky from the inferno raging inside him, that dress of hers making it harder, held that command._

 _She cocked her head, her stubbornness coming out to play._

 _"Now Steffy," he added a hint of pleading in his tone._

 _"Fine." He could tell she wasn't too happy about this._

 _She walked over to him, causing to raise his eyebrows. Smiling, she went around him, featherlight hands pulling his shirt off._

 _Sitting on the edge of the bed, he waited. She returned, his shirt on her frame, his savage beating his chest at this._

 _Hands on her hips she asked him, "Now what?"_

 _"Now we sleep."_

 _She couldn't hide the smile on her face fast enough. He knew that she understood what he was doing, showing her that she was more than lust, that this time; she was more than promises or words of forever._

 _Pulling her back against his front, she wiggled herself, causing shards of pleasure._

 _"Behave," he whispered in her ear as he brushed her hair down her back._

 _"No promises," she whispered back as tranquillity found him, found them, and they fell into slumber._

"I see you learned how to cook," he commented, having polished the French toast off his plate.

"I wouldn't go that far. So far, breakfast is safe, as long as it doesn't involve anything beyond egg items, bacon…"

"Pancakes?"

"Let's just say my last attempt resulted in my housekeeper docking me an extra fee for having to pry it off the ceiling."

Bill snickered.

"Stop it," she playfully swatted his arm.

Blocking and grabbing her arm, he tugged her off her stool to stand in between his legs, her hands automatically wrapping around his neck, his around her waist.

"I don't want pancakes. I have everything I want right here."

As he said it, he saw the reality seep into her eyes.

"Don't Steffy."

"But it doesn't change that it's true."

"All you need to know is I am where I want to be. Okay?"

His phone began shrilling, disavowing the chance for a response.

They both knew who it was.

She stepped back, going into the living room to retrieve it for him.

"Spencer?"

"Bill, are you alright?" Katie worriedly asked.

"I'm fine. I'll be there shortly."

He ended the connection before anything else could be said.

"I've got to go."

Steffy stood hunched over the counter, a singlet and shorts having replaced his shirt.

Coming up behind her, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"This changes nothing."

"Go home to your wife Bill."

"Steffy."

"Just go."

"Not until you turn around and look at me. Not until you understand what I am saying. Not until…"

She swiftly turned around, jumping into his arms, her head on his chest as she held him close. He wrapped her, close, the warmth of her levelling him out, centering him.

"I'll see you soon."

He stepped back, grabbed his shirt from the counter, walking without looking back, knowing if he did, he wouldn't leave.


	7. Chapter 7

The errant whisper of the wind behind him and the jingle of the keys in his hand, the only sounds that accompanied the thoughts running through his mind. How he had been standing in front of that door for the last five minutes, almost helpless, to find the strength to step inside.

Continue the farce?

End the pretense?

Break a heart?

Mend a heart?

Which way to go?

He couldn't possibly stand there any longer than he already have,, staring at the wooden panels, not so much trying to garner the courage to go in. Rather... questioning himself on how the only thing that wanted him to walk through that door had nothing to do with the emotions he so had hoped he could still feel but he seemed to no longer be in existence.

His hands wrapped around the doorknob twisting it open, and he heard the melodic laughter of his child, Will, reach his ears, strengthening the resolve his being had been attempting to solidify on the car ride over.

His hand slowly extended out to hold the handle of that door, twisting it. It might have been fate or mere coincidence that it was his child's melodic laughter that greeted him when he did, pushing him forward. To what he did not know. But he knew, that the path would be something different, blessed even. All he had to do was decide…

"Are you even listening to me?"

"I'm trying hard not to."

"Dad, you were the one who called for the projections."

"I already finished reading them five minutes ago Liam. If you would look up from your papers instead of peering down at them like you're back in a high school classroom, being all shy, you would have seen that."

At this Liam did just that, looked up Bill, embarrassment apparent in his face. For all he had grown, he was still nothing but a young child trying to please a father who, despite the questioning of his personal choices at times, was already proud of him.

"What you need to do now is increase the portfolio for the current clients we hold in that sector, get them to either invest more, gain equity in the online section before we launch it, keep them interested."

"I know, I know, you don't have to tell me again."

"I shouldn't even have to say it again," Bill snapped, becoming slightly irritated.

"You okay dad?" Liam asked, recognizing the bite of his comment to be different than normal.

"Yes."

The one worded answer had Liam raising his eyebrow further, clearly not believing him. Liam gathered up his tablet, knowing that in his current mood, further conversation would only be pointless.

As he was about to leave, Liam turned around, asking

"So you made Steffy the CEO?"

He should have known it was too much to ask that he let this go.

"I did."

"And you didn't even warn me at least. Why?"

"Because I do not run this business on the basis of emotion, though it may seem like that at times, I am in the end, always looking to further expand and solidify the Spencer brand on the world."

"And Steffy being CEO is a part of this how?"

"That, unfortunately, is classified information, contracts can be so annoying. All you need to know is that it all adds up."

Bill could see that he wanted to say more, so he waited. Liam seemed to think otherwise, raising his hands in a defeated gesture, no doubt tabling the discussion for a later date.

The moment the door clicked shut behind his son, Bill's mind drifted…

 _24 hours earlier_

 _Katie was holding Will when he finally entered the house, both of them sitting on the floor as the youngster played with his toys, his face a picture of joyous wonder at the most simple things. Bill walked over, sitting down next to them, his son squealing when he finally saw him, climbing onto his lap and getting comfortable, bringing a sense of peace to Bill's mind._

" _Sleep over at Justin's" the question was tinged with annoyance._

" _No, at the city apartment," the lie flowed forth from him with ease._

 _Why didn't he do it, just tell her the truth. Okay, here goes nothing…_

" _Katie, we need to…,"_

" _I know, we need to stop fighting, I should have supported you in your decision to take over Forrester," she interrupted him._

" _Katie," he started again._

" _You were right," she interrupted yet again, "it was never about my family. It was a solid business decision on your part. And that new line will probably turn out to be something else entirely," she continued. Bill couldn't help but here a slight tinge of jealousy in her voice as she ranted on._

" _The designs were a bit out there, not for me in any way. Not that I couldn't pull it off of course, I know I could, don't you think?" she finally finished, looking at him, waiting for that validation that would calm her insecurities, that always seemed to be floating around in her mind._

 _He took a deep breath in, he had to do this now…_

" _We need to talk," he finally got out, keeping the emotion swilrling inside him out of his voice, wanting to maintain a level of temperament during this conversation._

" _About Will's birthday? I thought you would forget entirely about that, what with all the Forrester business going on. No insult intended," she added._

 _Bill stopped himself at that moment, realizing in his mind that his son's birthday, though not forgotten, had slid a little bit to back burner of his mind, not intentionally, but none the less._

" _I've already sent out all the invitations out, just a small affair with our close friends and family. It's not like he'll remember it anyway. We'll have it here during the day on Sunday. That's fine, yes?"_

" _Yes, that's alright," he answered, his thoughts running a mile a minute, concluding….._

 _He couldn't tell her today, not with the party coming up…_

 _He should get it over and done with, but he wanted to give his son one more birthday full of love and no drama. Just a few more days, he told himself, and then he could end the charade and do what needed to be done._

" _Good. I'll see you later, am going to head over to see my sister's now."_

 _Katie leaned over to him, her intent clear, to kiss him._

 _On any normal day, he would have leaned over to her, sinking into the familiarity of her lips, lips that belonged to a woman who had tought him how to love, how to connect with emotion and realise it did not make you weak but strengthened the person you were._

 _But today…. He found his face turning slightly, her lips connecting with the edge of his mouth instead._

 _She thought nothing of this, smiling at him, he managed one back, before standing and leaving the room, and as he heard her footsteps become fainter the further she went he realized why he had done it._

 _Her lips were not the lips he wanted on his….._

The ringing of his phone brought him out of his reverie.

"Allison," he answered.

"Your 10 o'clock is here Mr. Spencer."

"Thank you. What's with all these formalities, I know you want something whenever you get like that. Whatever it is, the answer is yes, it's always easier than having you wear me down. You know your boundaries."

The call was cut off to the sound of Alison's laughter over the speakerphone.

Bill stood up and walked over to the door, opening it, a greeting already forming from his mouth,

"Genevieve, what a pleas…." He stopped in the middle, his eyes setting upon that smiling face…

Heartbeat stopping….

Eyes rising to meet hers,

Breath failing…

Deep breath in,

Senses invaded, the smell infusing within him…

"Steffy," he breathed, the joy at seeing her far surpassing anything he could have ever imagined.

"Hey," she whispered back, walking towards him, her arm reaching out to the door, her fingertips resting on his hand, pinpointed warmth spreading from these points of contact, spreading….

The distance between them diminished as she stepped forward, that smile still on her beautiful face, her hand moving his to swing the door closed,

Fingers entwining with his as she brought his hand down to the side, close enough that heat pervaded….

Her head tilted towards his, her eyes locked with his…

Beast rising…

Wanting….

It growled…

Needing…

Lips an inch apart, he stepped forward, hand pressed into the door behind her, restraint slipping….

Her lips open, breath shared

His beast roared for him to grab, to take…

He obliged…

Swooping down he kissed her… her lips a taste of benediction,

Heat rising as her hands found purchase on his chest, fingertips grazing his bare skin…

He growled into her mouth, pushing closer, trapping her,

She arched her back, pressing herself closer, her hands at the base of his neck, pulling him closer….

"Touch me," she whispered, moving back so that her eyes opened.

Bill breathed hard, not wanting to tempt the barbarian, one simple touch would not be enough, would never be enough.

"Bill…," a soft whisper of need from her mouth before she pulled him back towards her, lips attacking his, open…

Her tongue swiping his, heat lacing through him…

Restraint fading….

She grabbed one of his hands, it softened under her touch, malleable to her command.

Placing it on her neck, she arched back, his palm spreading, feeling her heartbeat, fast and staccato,

He looks down at his hand as she slides it down her neck….

She moaned….

Chains snapping….

The beast crawling out…


End file.
